Many times, we as women find judgement for just about anything that we do. Any time we are good at something, or interested in a particular subject, we are shamed for it, mainly by men. Snapchat filters? She must be a hoe. Astrology? How dumb. She must be an idiot. Comics? She's faking it. Heavy Metal? She must be a poser. No one seems to believe that it is possible for us to actually be interested in the strange and unusual, and also have interests in fashion, beauty, and pop culture. Because of this, I find that a lot of women overcompensate and try to prove themselves as "one of the boys". My way of doing this as a teenager was rejecting everything that would be considered feminine. I tried not to care about makeup, getting dressed up, shit-talking with girlfriends, etc. because to these boys that I hung out with, those things were for the shallow, stupid, normal girls and not "cool" girls. Plot Twist: 'Cool Girl' doesn't exist.

I find that even as an adult, women who are part of a scene or a subculture that is male dominated tend to put other females down when they are traditionally feminine, or even for no reason at all. I can't tell you how many times within the metal scene I've seen women and girls attack another female simply because of how she's dressed, or just because she is their boyfriend's ex minding her own business. The same can be said about any other subculture events - comic conventions, festivals, etc. Women already get enough BS from men about how we are probably only at a show because our significant other is there.  We constantly get these Alex Trebek ass dudes coming up to us asking us the Daily Double on band members blood types or comic issue release dates from the 1960s, as if we have to validate our presence. We need to allow femininity to exist and flourish within a subculture and take care of each other. Wear the lipstick and the short skirt, post all the astrology memes, listen to Celtic Frost- but don't forget to uplift your fellow women. Be kind, tell another woman when she looks good, be polite to ex-girlfriends if they are completely removed from your relationship. Stand up for other women when they are being put down. Be uplifting, not antagonizing. There is nothing more magical and pure than the female platonic connection - we should embrace and celebrate it.

Loving makeup, bopping to Cards B, and buying a Balenciaga handbag doesn't make your love for heavy metal, comic books, or video games any less valid. It makes for a well rounded, multi-faceted individual. It's also okay to not wear any makeup at all, only like pants, and carry everything in your pockets. You should do what makes you happy, because people who are happy with themselves spread their positive influence and bring people together.

I'm not an expert on feminism or psychology or any of that. I simply observe and report. I have so many wonderful female friends met through different subcultures who's friendships have been built on a beautiful combination of the subculture and feminine connection. I wouldn't trade that for anything in the world.

Romance is subjective, much like a person's taste in music. Certain songs make people feel certain ways, and can bring make memories of times and places they either love or loathe.


I've put together a selection of songs about love, that I love. Some songs weren't intended to be love songs, but still give me that warm fuzzy feeling of wanting to snuggle with my husband on the couch and watch Trailer Park Boys for the 37th time. Some of them also make me want to dance and laugh in the sun. Remember that today isn't about candy or flowers or gifts, but letting your loved ones know that you appreciate them. Hopefully you can keep this playlist in your back pocket and that some songs will suit your tastes. Have a wonderful Valentine's Day. xoxo

I should basically live at Grandview Public Market because I am so overjoyed every time I go there. The decor, food, and merchandise are so inspiring. I was happy to tag along with my friend Melanie to the first Palm Beach Blogger event this past weekend. Since the weather was mild and sunny for the first time in a while, I wanted to wear something stylish (but not intimidating) and comfortable.

Sweater / Brandy Melville Jeans / Levi's, Vintage Sandals / Madewell, Similar Here Bag /Vintage

I decided on this super soft green crop sweater. I love the rich, lush shade of green - it fits perfect for our tropical environment. I paired them with my favorite pair of vintage Levi's that were given to me by my mom- they belonged to her in the 90's and they are my favorite pair of jeans EVER. I always find it helpful to wear your favorite item of clothing (if appropriate) when you are meeting new people- that we you know you look good and are confident when introducing yourself. I completed the look with my brown leather sandals and a vintage Kilim bucket bag.

I found this blogger event to be very inclusive and informative. Angela Cruz, who works in PR for Discover the Palm Beaches and is also a beauty blogger, spoke to us about how to pitch yourself to travel brands. While I am not sure if I am interested in blogging about travel or making that a focus of my social media accounts, I learned a lot about what brands look for in terms of ROI and metrics, as well as what information you can give them as a blogger to increase your changes of being hosted. It's not just about having thousands of followers- what are you really going to do for the brand to make an impact and raise awareness for them on social media? I found this information especially helpful for my job where I assist in creating content and writing copy/SEO for our brand. I am now aware of what bloggers would want to be offered as compensation for their content creation and influence, and what we should look for when finding influences to work with.





After making connections with some great local bloggers, Melanie and I enjoyed lunch at Grandview. It was National Pizza Day so she got herself a personal pie. I decided to get the Tacos- I cannot resist a good street Taco and Topo Chico. Everything was delicious and we both went home and promptly took naps. Nothing like a good food coma!





Here are some great blogs to follow from the local Palm Beach area. Such kind and interesting people! :

http://www.aguyonclematis.com - Aaron Wormus, Lifestyle
https://www.youtube.com/user/Heidyrosario - Heidy Rosario, Travel
http://nohemyadorno.com - Noemy Adorno, Fitness
http://www.angela-cruz.com/ - Angela Cruz, Beauty
http://melaniestanton.com/ - Melanie Stanton, Fashion / Lifestyle

In case you didn't know, I am a Leo Sun. I love my bougee products, clothes, and always want to be noticed for my style and taste. However, just because someone looks good and seems fun on the outside doesn't mean that they feel that way within themselves. 2019 is a big adjustment period for me- my life is much different than it was 1 year ago.